Splicing wires

[kantornado]

I was splicing some wires today and thought I would share some knowledge I was given in my youth complete with pictures. This will give you more space for multiple connectors and a cleaner look. Works great with limited space.

 

Pic1: Choose type of solder less connector. Yellow,Blue,Red

Pic2: Place connector in a opening (vice shown) just wide enough for the outer edges of

shielding to set on the edges of vice.

Pic3: Take a punch and tap out center of connector.

Pic4: What connector looks like as you tap center out.

Pic5: Center out of shielding.

Pic6: Place shrink tube over wires and connect wires.

Pic7: Put shrink tube over wires and heat up to shrink.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Those are called butt splices and you can also buy non-insulated butt splices....

 

What a person of my ilk would call a 'bare butt' splice.

 

 

And yes thanks for the info. Soldering is still a good way to attach wires, but sometimes, its not practical.

 

 

[saddlebum]

Those are called butt splices and you can also buy non-insulated butt splices....

 

What a person of my ilk would call a 'bare butt' splice.

 

 

And yes thanks for the info. Soldering is still a good way to attach wires, but sometimes, its not practical.

 

 

 

I always use the bare terminal and butt connectors combined with heat shrink tubing. Use a good heavy duty stake type crimper for best results. Soldering is good but only effective when terminals and wire are new and clean. Solder.will not bond properly with tarnished copper.

[Dano]

OR you could just get the butt-splices that are complete with shrink-tube already on them, just crimp and shrink, you're done then.....

And use a heat gun or hair dryer to shrink, not a torch or lighter! Much easier and won't burn your other components around it.....

 

 

Coming from a Master electrician with just 40 yrs in the biz.....

[bongobobny]

Yah, and being aircraft and NASA crimp and soldering certified if I EVER used a vise and punch I would have been immediately fired...

[saddlebum]

OR you could just get the butt-splices that are complete with shrink-tube already on them, just crimp and shrink, you're done then.....

And use a heat gun or hair dryer to shrink, not a torch or lighter! Much easier and won't burn your other components around it.....

 

 

Coming from a Master electrician with just 40 yrs in the biz.....

The problem with these, specially if you use a cheep pair of crimping pliers is the risk of puncturing the heat shrink insulation during assembly. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen connections on vehicles turn green and fall apart because of this. Also when ever I am forced to use one butt connector to join three wires I use small zip ties around the pair that go into one end of the connector just past/outside the heat shrink to eliminate any chance of wire strain pulling the pair apart allowing an opening to form were the pair enter the heat shrink so that moisture and road salt cannot enter (a major problem in snow belt areas).

 

 

 

Yah, and being aircraft and NASA crimp and soldering certified if I EVER used a vise and punch I would have been immediately fired...

IMHO there is no substitute for good High quality crimpers. You pay a bit extra for them but using those cheep stamped steel crimpers is just inviting problems.

Edited March 27, 2014 by saddlebum

[Dragonslayer]

I was splicing some wires today and thought I would share some knowledge I was given in my youth complete with pictures. This will give you more space for multiple connectors and a cleaner look. Works great with limited space.

 

Pic1: Choose type of solder less connector. Yellow,Blue,Red

Pic2: Place connector in a opening (vice shown) just wide enough for the outer edges of

shielding to set on the edges of vice.

Pic3: Take a punch and tap out center of connector.

Pic4: What connector looks like as you tap center out.

Pic5: Center out of shielding.

Pic6: Place shrink tube over wires and connect wires.

Pic7: Put shrink tube over wires and heat up to shrink.

That method works in most applications but, it has been my experience that corrosion and bad connections can still happen inside crimp-on connectors and still look ok visually.

 

For a fail safe connection I prefer the double twist, solder and shrink tube method.

 

But, thanks for the information any how.

[kantornado]

Thank you all for your valuable incite and knowledge. I knew when posting this that those who work in or around electricity would tell all of the worldly stories of all the special tools or items to purchase one needs to accomplish a simple task. The purpose of my thread was to enlighten those who may not have known nor the knowledge or like me who has 100's of connectors and am to frugal to purchase other types of connectors. So thank you for your input and valuable product knowledge. We all learn from one another.

[Black wing]

also a fan of the strip soulder and heat shrink method, bought a pair of snap on strippers and they are the best thing ive ever had for doing my wiring

[Venturous]

I now prefer inline splices and solder, but this certainly looks like a good option as well.

[Flyinfool]

I have gotten spoiled by these.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24FjjIVpk9U]solder splice - YouTube[/ame]

[CMCOFFEY]

I am in Las Vegas and have a soldering iron and heat shrink and heat gun if you ever need to do electrical work. I am a Radar Technician on Nellis, so I have some experience with electronics. I also have most anything you will need to work on a motorcycle, and I am constantly buy new Tools (toys). Hit me up if you ever need anything.

[kantornado]

CMCOFFEY we should get together, pm me I live in the north west off 95

[Dragonslayer]

I am in Las Vegas and have a soldering iron and heat shrink and heat gun if you ever need to do electrical work. I am a Radar Technician on Nellis, so I have some experience with electronics. I also have most anything you will need to work on a motorcycle, and I am constantly buy new Tools (toys). Hit me up if you ever need anything.

Now That is an example of the Venturerider mentality. CMCoffey you need to go ahead and join up. You won't be disappointed and you will easily find a home here with like minded friends.

[Dragonslayer]

I have gotten spoiled by these.

Jeff, that is the coolest thing since sliced bread.. I want some.... Where do you get'em

[Flyinfool]

Many stores carry them., or search "Solder Splice" on eBay.

 

There are many different types and sizes.

There is also a type that screws on like a wire nut so you can take it on and off while working. Then when you heat it up when done wiring, it shrinks, seals and solders the connection.

[Eck]

Yah, and being aircraft and NASA crimp and soldering certified if I EVER used a vise and punch I would have been immediately fired...

 

 

And I would have fired you for it too.............!!!!!!!

[Carbon_One]

Another fan of the strip, solder, & shrink tube connections. Sometimes I'll use the bare butt connecters but those get soldered and shrink tubed as well. Same with any terminals actually.

I absolutely hate those Scotch lock connectors. I've seen nothing but problem where people have used them. Yea they're fast to do a job but rest assured you'll be chasing down electrical problems in the future. Ask Ragtop about them if he don't chime in here. LOL

Larry

[dingy]

Attached are a series of pictures I took of doing a butt connection type solder. Not my best ever solder job, but it's what I got pictures of. These are 12 gauge wires, so they are the largest wires on bike besides battery cable.

 

Soldering large wires like this is where a high wattage soldering gun is very helpful. A small soldering iron will not heat wires up fast enough, heat will conduct up copper in wires and damage insulation by time joint is hot enough. I have a 230/150 watt gun that works fast.

 

1st picture is of stripped wires, crossed and ready to wrap. As shown, twist the copper wire to back and wrap around silver one, wrap the silver one to front around copper one.

 

2nd picture shows twisting completed. Smaller gauge wires are easier to twist and look neater.

 

Do not use plumbing solder on electrical connections, acid core flux will corrode wires. I use a 40% tin/60% lead solder. I also use Rubyfluid soldering paste on connection before soldering. Preheat solder gun until it will melt solder when touched to tip before contacting wire joint with gun, do not touch solder to gun tip when applying solder to wire joint, let heat in wire melt solder.

 

Ooh_Rah

 

Gary

Edited March 27, 2014 by dingy

[kantornado]

Lots of GREAT information here. Glad you all chimed in to give your input. I have said from the beginning WHAT A GREAT SITE....

[Dragonslayer]

Attached are a series of pictures I took of doing a butt connection type solder. Not my best ever solder job, but it's what I got pictures of. These are 12 gauge wires, so they are the largest wires on bike besides battery cable.

 

Soldering large wires like this is where a high wattage soldering gun is very helpful. A small soldering iron will not heat wires up fast enough, heat will conduct up copper in wires and damage insulation by time joint is hot enough. I have a 23/150 watt gun that works fast.

 

1st picture is of stripped wires, crossed and ready to wrap. As shown, twist the copper wire to back and wrap around silver one, wrap the silver one to front around copper one.

 

2nd picture shows twisting completed. Smaller gauge wires are easier to twist and look neater.

 

Do not use plumbing solder on electrical connections, acid core flux will corrode wires. I use a 40% tin/60% lead solder. I also use Rubyfluid soldering paste on connection before soldering. Preheat solder gun until it will melt solder when touched to tip before contacting wire joint with gun, do not touch solder to gun tip when applying solder to wire joint, let heat in wire melt solder.

 

Ooh_Rah

 

Gary

Yup, that's my system too... and I'm sticking to it. Until, I can find some of those nifty butt-to-butt/solder connectors Jeff was talking about.

[djh3]

I have an old Weller dual range solder gun. Man I have been using the heck out of it here the last few months making by-pass relay harness. I just bought a cargo trailer and one of the clearance lights was out. Man that bulb is silver. Have not seen to many do that. Upon a little closer inspection the wires from the main harness to that light were twisted together and had the ole black electrical tape barley on it. Looks to me like it shorted out against the fender.

I worked for U-haul back in the late 70"s as an area traveling mechanic. Mostly on the truck side of stuff. But man with them things being at different dealers all over and folks adding lights and fixing stuff, you would get a light FUBAR and the back of the truck would be no lights anywhere. I had one that had a couple of rear light assy bad so I took apart to change. That thing had like 4-5 scotch loc's on each light where it had been replaced before and the jerk previous just used a scotch loc to add the "new" light to the truck. Lights flickering, you can rest assured a scotch loc is probably somewhere to blame. Sometimes they are inevitable but I hate the dang things. Kind of like going to the dentist.

[kantornado]

I too hate scotch locks I have a couple boxes that where given to me many years ago and just can not bring myself to use them. The wiring repair I was doing on the motorcycle I took the pics of had wrong color and gauge of wires. Had to replace most of the wiring and The person used the 2 into 1 type scotch locks. This truly was a wiring botch job they used 14 gauge into 28 and back to 14, 10 gauge into 16 in different colors, pink-green-black-red-white with and without stripes. seems what ever they had they used and small pieces they put together.

But its all fixed and working.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I too hate scotch locks I have a couple boxes that where given to me many years ago and just can not bring myself to use them.

 

Scotch-locks work fine in some cases. But not on vehicles, at least, not on motorcycles.

 

I have used them in phone and data wiring in house and building crawlspaces and attics, and now and then under the dash of a vehicle, for wiring in a courtesy light or cb radio. But I would never use them, even the ones that have embeded sealant, on a motorcycle that is subject to moisture and vibration.